Evidence That Cortisol Really Does Cause Hair Loss

[eddiem991]

Cortisol will certainly cause hair loss when applied directly to the skin. This could be by upregulating TGF-β, something aldosterone has been shown to do. Also, the immunophilins form a complex with the mineralcorticoid receptor—a molecular chaperone. The immunophilins are responsible for transcribing interferon-γ.

But immune responses can also upregulate cortisol, so there's no way to determine that the epidemiological correlations between cortisol and hair loss are a cause of cortisol or immune activation.

I can tell you one thing: Animals which have had their adrenal cortex removed will grow more hair. This was a very common finding in the '40s and '50s. The effects of cortisol on hair are undeniably bad, and it has even been shown to reduce growth rates on isolated follicles. How exactly this happens is disputable, but there are many overlaps between cortisol, mast cells, growth factors, and immune cytokines.

How can you know so much? :) It seems like you are just days away from unlocking the MPB mystery. :)

I get tempted on trying cyclosporine for my hair but it maight be to dangerous?

 

[Travis]

How can you know so much? :) It seems like you are just days away from unlocking the MPB mystery. :)

I get tempted on trying cyclosporine for my hair but it maight be to dangerous?

It's safe topically, but has low absorption. You need high concentrations for this reason, so would have to buy a pure source.

You could try Sigma-Aldrich.. .

 

[JDreamer]

@Travis I'm learning a ton reading your posts. A big thank you.

 

[eddiem991]

It's safe topically, but has low absorption. You need high concentrations for this reason, so would have to buy a pure source.

You could try Sigma-Aldrich.. .

I have seen it on this site too: https://www.alldaychemist.com/cyclophil-me-100mg.html Can you make anything from those capsules?

In the case of buying from Sigma-Aldrich, would DMSO work as a the best vehicle?

 

[ivy]

I have seen it on this site too: Panimum Bioral 100 mg Online | Buy At AlldayChemist Can you make anything from those capsules?

In the case of buying from Sigma-Aldrich, would DMSO work as a the best vehicle?

@Travis, what do you reckon?

 

[johnwester130]

Interesting find there, hamster.

One thing that has always confused me about pattern baldness is the "pattern" aspect that much more commonly affects males. If stress was the primary culprit responsible for hair follicles to shut down or shed or go into "sleep" phase, then why so broadly does it exhibit the classic pattern of receding hairline and bald spot on the crown? Of course many people, and commonly women as well, can experience "diffuse" thinning, and even lose their hair in random spots and patches uniformly around the scalp. The mainstream knowledge says that this form of baldness is responsible to "stress" where as the former is due to androgens. Hence why women commonly don't experience the former, although that is not to say it doesn't happen. For example I know female bodybuilders and athletes who commonly experience male pattern baldness, especially when taking androgens for athletic performance. I also personally knew a girl who had issues with a slightly receding hairlines and acne which worried her as a teenager, so her doctor said she had high androgens (for a female) and prescribed her estrogen supplement. Of course I begged her to quit taking it and showed her progesterone instead.

1) "I think the pattern is just an expression of the interacting gradients that shape all development. In the skin, pheromones and electrical fields are among the factors that affect sweat, oil, hair, fibroblasts, inflammatory, and pigment cells. Each type of cell responds to changing gradients in its own way." - Ray Peat.

2 ) I think baldness is connected to atherosclerosis. The pattern can be explained because that's where the vessels on the balding area are narrowest. Pauling therapy and Lysine is used on many hair loss forums.
Lysine and vitamin c also build collagen, and block cortisol.
The pattern basically correlates to the position of the blood vessels.

 

[nbznj]

It doesn't seem to me that lysine is an issue in foods, at least foods with a high enough lysine/arginine ratio aren't some weird exotic ones. Namely beets, avocado, poultry, cheese, yogurt... Pretty much the season for them too. Vitamin C is another thing though, most people definitely don't have enough. Hence our dear oj

2 ) I think baldness is connected to atherosclerosis. The pattern can be explained because that's where the vessels on the balding area are narrowest. Pauling therapy and Lysine is used on many hair loss forums.
Lysine and vitamin c also build collagen, and block cortisol.
The pattern basically correlates to the position of the blood vessels.

Kinda unrelated but this got me thinking. Would cialis work? I've studied its mechanism, I don't see why it would be a bad drug against both atherosclerosis and hair loss. We know what it does against ED. But the general action is very interesting. Enhanced blood flow never sounds bad to me. 5mg of Cialis is also a pretty solid addition to any workout.

 

[Luckytype]

Im definitely on board with this. Especially after my gym addiction and trying tonreally change my physique.


My question for a lot of you who have higher cortisol. What have you done to start to control it? Internally im speaking not necessarily topically.

My shed started after high stress and a reduction in calories after likely running on the 'sol and epinephrine for years..

 

[nbznj]

I'll let others chime in with better dietary/nutriment strategies but for me 2 things work very well:
- reducing the stress aka doing the most basic 531 Boring but big program. Yes these are ridiculously easy. Yes the workouts take 1 hour tops, and that's when I'm taking my time stretching between sets. No you won't bring your squat from 445 to 505 within a year. But who cares? Keep the stress low, enjoy life. Instead of keeping the stress high and enjoy gym.

- discard every single food that is rich in calories and low in nutrients. My butter has salt. My olive oil has garlic. My protein shake has green powders in it. Everything else is whole foods, produce, organ meat packed with lots of stuff.

Bonus: definitely try to bring that vascular function up. Reading more on the shedding/atherosclerosis correlation is very interesting

 

[johnwester130]

Im definitely on board with this. Especially after my gym addiction and trying tonreally change my physique.


My question for a lot of you who have higher cortisol. What have you done to start to control it? Internally im speaking not necessarily topically.

My shed started after high stress and a reduction in calories after likely running on the 'sol and epinephrine for years..

lysine works

ergot derivatives

salting food and extra salt

Acerola powder works too, vitamin c is essential,

niacinamide

Honestly, stopping watching TV helped me a lot.

 

[lollipop]

lysine works

ergot derivatives

salting food and extra salt

Acerola powder works too, vitamin c is essential,

niacinamide

Honestly, stopping watching TV helped me a lot.

@johnwester130 you have got me curious about Acerola powder and the vit c coming from it. This might be my new addition to my husband’s and my protocol. Thank you for sharing about it.

Question about lysine. Firstly, I really like it - use it occasionally and not on a regular basis, but it dramatically reduces stress response quickly when I take 1500mgs - like in 20 min - the time it takes to hit my bloodstream. I also started taking it with milk like you (I think) suggested.

Now the question: how much are you taking and do you use it regularly?

 

[johnwester130]

@johnwester130 you have got me curious about Acerola powder and the vit c coming from it. This might be my new addition to my husband’s and my protocol. Thank you for sharing about it.

Question about lysine. Firstly, I really like it - use it occasionally and not on a regular basis, but it dramatically reduces stress response quickly when I take 1500mgs - like in 20 min - the time it takes to hit my bloodstream. I also started taking it with milk like you (I think) suggested.

Now the question: how much are you taking and do you use it regularly?

I have been using it on and off for 3 years.

Yes, I added back to my regimen 2 weeks ago, about 4 grams a day of capsules with milk to avoid a bad reaction to it. Yes, it really does lift anxiety and depression enough to carry on using it. I use my supplements everyday and will keep with the lysine this time.

As for acerola powder, I have taken a teaspoon of it for the last month. It works, it is natural and has incredible synergy with lysine. You can find powders that are around 25% vitamin c, it tastes better than camu and some varieties have more vitamin c than camu.

It's very mild and can be taken straight from the bag, even the high strength versions.

 

[lollipop]

I have been using it on and off for 3 years.

Yes, I added back to my regimen 2 weeks ago, about 4 grams a day of capsules with milk to avoid a bad reaction to it. Yes, it really does lift anxiety and depression enough to carry on using it. I use my supplements everyday and will keep with the lysine this time.

As for acerola powder, I have taken a teaspoon of it for the last month. It works, it is natural and has incredible synergy with lysine. You can find powders that are around 25% vitamin c, it tastes better than camu and some varieties have more vitamin c than camu.

It's very mild and can be taken straight from the bag, even the high strength versions.

Thank you for adding more details Helpful.

 

[johnwester130]

Thank you for adding more details Helpful.

this explains the superiority of acerola in detail

https://www.livingherbalfarmacy.com/category-s/204.htm

 

[lollipop]

this explains the superiority of acerola in detail

FAQ

WoW, what a beautiful image of the electron microscope image of the natural Vit C as compared to the ascorbic acid! Telling. The structure is completely different.

 

[lollipop]

this explains the superiority of acerola in detail

https://www.livingherbalfarmacy.com/category-s/204.htm

Great product! Surely the one I will buy. Super find thank you @johnwester130

 

[johnwester130]

@johnwester130 you have got me curious about Acerola powder and the vit c coming from it. This might be my new addition to my husband’s and my protocol. Thank you for sharing about it.

Question about lysine. Firstly, I really like it - use it occasionally and not on a regular basis, but it dramatically reduces stress response quickly when I take 1500mgs - like in 20 min - the time it takes to hit my bloodstream. I also started taking it with milk like you (I think) suggested.

Now the question: how much are you taking and do you use it regularly?

To actually do this took me a while to figure out. I realised putting teaspoons of lysine powder and acerola in my mouth was stupid.

Here is a "recipe" I use.

The Linus Pauling Collagen Drink That Tastes Good

It's honestly tasteless.

 

[lollipop]

To actually do this took me a while to figure out. I realised putting teaspoons of lysine powder and acerola in my mouth was stupid.

Here is a "recipe" I use.

The Linus Pauling Collagen Drink That Tastes Good

It's honestly tasteless.

Thank you

 

[haidut]

https://www.researchgate.net/profil...uinea_pigs/links/0046353c6c531d6599000000.pdf

These results show for the first time that only small amounts of systemically administered radioactive glucocorticoids are deposited in hair of guinea pigs, while measurement of large amounts of unlabeled GCM strongly suggests local production of glucocorticoids in hair follicles​

So that's basically the interesting part. Cortisol is massively produced in the hair follicles. I was listening to a KMUD interview with Ray, and he was saying that a lot of estrogen is produced in the skin, more than in the ovaries (of course also in men, LOL). I think ditto in the follicles and this probably has a lot to do with hair loss.

I think we're gonna find that in stress, the hair follicles create a lot of cortisol and estrogen and all the other stress hormones and that this causes hair loss. Pretty much like Danny Roddy has said.

What is interesting to me is that this occurs on the hair on the head but not on the chin or pubic region.

I think that most likely, there is a reason for this. Perhaps over the millennia, we have done better as men when we were bald if we were under stress, in order to get more sunlight on her scalp. I'm totally not kidding.

It would explain why Ray recommends topical progesterone, DHEA, thyrod or aspirin for hair loss - they all either block cortisol at the receptor (progesterone) or lower its synthesis.

 

[xetawaves]

It would explain why Ray recommends topical progesterone, DHEA, thyrod or aspirin for hair loss - they all either block cortisol at the receptor (progesterone) or lower its synthesis.

Why is it that progesterone worsens hair loss in some people?